Wishes On A White Rose
by Idle Stripe
Summary: Every week, for a year, Tora made a wish on a white rose. This week, a year later, her wish will come true. Some FirionOC, but mostly a family-centred oneshot.


_**-Wishes On A White Rose-**_

_**-An AU 'Dissidia: Final Fantasy' fanfiction-**_

=^w^=

I don't think I've smiled for at least a year.

Everyone I know used to comment on my smile, saying that it was like the sun; it lit up the room and made everyone want to join in on its warmth. Nowadays people are asking me where my smile went and will it come out from behind its cloud again.

It's amazing how many sun-related things people say to me, and it's all because of my eyes.

As the lecturer at the head of the class dismissed us, I slowly packed up my things and ambled out of the classroom behind a group of boys who were talking about someone called 'Miss Kitty', who I assumed was a non-degradable porn star who wore very little on her body except feathers which she stuck on using double-sided tape. Ignoring their hearty guffaws I detoured into the campus library, the librarian lifting his hand in a polite wave before he returned to sorting out the printer in his office. I smiled in return and sat down at a vacant table somewhere in amongst the library's many shelves, setting my bag in front of me and randomly examining my nails.

Hm, they're looking a bit awful...

'_Did you see me cry...did you see me cry...can you hear me-'_

"Where are you?" Cradling my head in my hand, I answered my phone with about as much enthusiasm as a cancer patient going in for yet another round of chemotherapy.

"_Waitin' for you outside,"_ the voice of my stepfather Jecht replied, _"Are you alright, Tora? D'ya need to visit the clinic?"_

"Oh, Gaia no. I've just got a headache. I'll come meet you and then I'll take something for it." Disconnecting, I grabbed my bag and meandered back out of the library, the librarian again giving me a rushed wave before disappearing back into his office. When I left the library I found Jecht waiting for me at the gate nearest the student administration centre, his dark sunglasses protecting his eyes from the harsh sunlight.

"At least you're punctual," he said as I approached, ruffling my hair, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." My stepfather led the way to his car – a bright red Camero – and opened the door for me, closing it when I was safely buckled in. Normally Jecht doesn't do that for me, but today was special so I was allowed special treatment.

"Lunch first?" he asked as the car roared to life.

"I'm not hungry." Half the time that's the case; my anaemia has left me with a weird appetite and frequent headaches. It's also left me on iron supplements for the rest of my life, and it's all thanks to my metal hip.

Jecht pulled the car up outside the town's florist – a cute little place called Fynn Flowers – and I got out, grabbing my purse from my bag and walking inside.

"Hi there Tora," the owner of the store called to me from a large bouquet of chrysanthemums, "Your usual?"

"Yes please, Firion." Smiling at me, Firion walked over to the roses section of his store and picked out a white one, bringing it back to the front of the store and holding it out to me.

"Thank you," Taking the rose, I inhaled its scent before opening my eyes, "How much?"

"I've already paid for it." My jaw dropped to the floor with a CLANG.

"I can't ask you to do that, Firion. You already know why I buy these roses; having you do this is just adding to the burden." Fighting back tears, I turned and pretended to be interested in some potted colour. A hand on my shoulder gently turned me around so that I was looking into his beautiful brown eyes, which were still smiling at me.

"It's fine Tora, really. I've actually been paying for your roses for the past four weeks, but I haven't told you anything about it until now because I always love it when you come into the store; it's as if your presence is the sun in my day."

...did the temperature just skyrocket or something?

"Well...thank you Firion. I'll have to come by a lot more often then." Leaning up, I kissed his cheek before dashing out of the store back to my stepfather.

"He ask you out yet?" Jecht smirked at me as I climbed into the car. I whacked him on his sinewy arm.

"Shut up, you." I mumbled, "Let's just go home." As the car roared away, I looked down at the rose Firion had given me, only just noticing that there was a thick white ribbon tied onto the stem. Undoing it, I pulled it away and took a look at the writing that was on it.

Okay, there's something wrong with the thermostat in the car; I am _cooking_.

=^w^=

That night, after everyone in my house had retired and shut their doors, I crept out of my bedroom and out into the living room holding the rose I'd bought that day. It was chilly, my thin top and bed pants not really doing much in the way of keeping me warm, but the cold was enough to let me know that I was still feeling after twelve months of not smiling. Rummaging around in one of the drawers underneath the coffee table, I produced a photograph and laid it out on the mahogany surface, kneeling down and closing my eyes.

"Please...bring him home to us..." I whispered, raising the rose. Kissing its petals, I laid the white flower on the photo and resumed my silent praying to whatever spirits were available at the time. Tears softly slipped out from underneath my closed eyelids but I wiped them away in favour of continuing what I was doing.

A pair of arms wrapped themselves around my shoulders as a person got comfortable on the couch behind me. "He's out there somewhere."

"I know, and that's what hurts." Jecht helped me to my feet and led me into the kitchen, where he made us both coffee and got me tissues to dry my face.

"Why did he run away, Jecht?" I asked softly, "Why did he leave us behind?" I got no answer from my stepfather, because there _was_ no answer to my question. He sighed and drained the rest of his coffee, taking my own empty mug and placing them both in the sink.

"You'd be surprised how much your little ritual is affecting me," he said finally, his back to me, "I didn't think that I'd miss him as much as I do. I mean, I miss him, but..."

I laughed softly. "Don't worry; I understand. You can't forget about family, no matter what they do." I stood up and wrapped my arms around my stepfather's waist from behind, pressing my cheek into the bare space between his shoulder blades. His coarse hands ran along my pale olive arms, the dark tan colour a contrast to my own skin tone.

Why does it take a sentimental moment for me to notice odd things about the people around me?

"Let's go. We've both got full days tomorrow." Moving away from the sink, Jecht kept my arms anchored his waist as he walked through the house toward the hallway, stopping outside my bedroom door and disentangling himself from me. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the crown of my head before ruffling my hair again.

"Goodnight, Tora." he said gruffly. I smiled a little.

"Goodnight...Dad." I replied, slipping back inside my bedroom and shutting the door.

=^w^=

A week after that little 'father-daughter' moment I found myself attending a party with my family. More specifically, I found myself attending _Jecht's_ party with my family; it was the old man's birthday and Mum had thrown him a surprise party to acknowledge the fact.

I had absolutely no idea that the colour could drain from a person's face so fast.

Sipping at my soda, I glanced around at the gathering which was several of Jecht's friends and some of our family's friends all in the one function room. The birthday boy himself had glued my mother to his hip as he chatted with Mateus and his wife Mecia, my friend Squall having been caught up in the conversation at some point. By the buffet table stood Zidane and Bartz with Zidane's brother Kuja; they were arguing about the food that was on offer. Cecil and his brother Golbez chatted idly with Cloud and Sephiroth, the latter pair looking ready to make a break for the door. At my side was Firion, who was trying to avoid Luneth and Terra's insistence for him to talk to them about something. Kefka and Ness were mucking about at the jukebox, trying to fiddle with it so that a song they preferred would play, while Garland, ExDeath and Wol were at the games corner trying to outdo each other for a few Gil, Rune and Ryu their referees in case things got out of hand.

All in all, it was a normal gathering for us all.

"I'm sure that Luneth and Terra mean no harm," I told the florist at my side, "Just go and talk to them."

"They want to talk to me about work. I'm not here to be at work; I'm here to have fun." he replied, sipping at his own drink. I shook my head and sighed, knowing I was not going to go anywhere with that one at that point in time.

"Tora, I brought you something." Turning around, I was nearly thwacked in the face by a red rose.

"A red rose?" I accepted the gift and blinked at Firion, "But don't they mean-"

"Coupled with your white roses, they mean 'unity'. Maybe you could make your wish on both of them at the same time for extra strength?" Firion held out a white rose this time, its clean colour a stark contrast to the deep red of the rose I held. Taking the second rose, I looked at him for guidance. He merely responded with a nod. Sighing, I closed my eyes and began to pray.

"Please...bring him home to us..." I whispered, kissing each of the roses as was my custom.

The doors to the function room suddenly opened with a loud BANG, causing everyone present to look over at the gaping hole. A figure stood in the doorway, illuminated by the artificial lights of the hallway behind them. They looked positively filthy dressed in torn clothes and covered in scratches, dirt and a hint of blood, but there was something about them...

"Sorry I'm late." the figure said finally.

I stood up and walked around the table. "Tidus?" The figure in the door turned to look at me, a smile on his face that could only belong to one person. Ignoring the gasp from the crowd, I ran right across the room and launched myself into my stepbrother's arms, gripping him as if he was my only lifeline. Normally I'm really touchy about who I let see me cry, but at this point in time I couldn't care less; I just got my stepbrother back after a year. I do believe I'm entitled to a little bit of a water display.

Jecht was the second one over. "You're back." he said, surprise etched into his face. Tidus looked up at his father, his smile faltering a little.

"Yeah, old man," he replied, "I am." My stepfather grinned and furiously ruffled his son's hair, ignoring his indignant cries and my stifled sniffles.

"I knew it..." I sobbed into his shoulder, "I always knew you'd come back..."

"I'm here now." Tidus held me closer as his own body began to shake with restrained tears. I looked up at him, and for the first time in a year...

I smiled. Genuinely.

=^w^=

"Oh, hello Tora."

"Could I please get a white rose, Firion?" The florist blinked at me confusedly, but complied and brought me what I asked for. Twirling it about in my fingers, I smiled at him through the raging blush I could feel on my cheeks.

"But...Tidus is back now; why do you still need the rose?" he asked.

"I'm still wishing," I replied, "because another of my wishes hasn't come true yet."

"Am I allowed to know what wish this is?"

"Only if you kiss the white rose." I held out said flower and widened my smile. Firion smiled and shook his head, reaching out and lowering the rose. I blinked, confused; is he ignoring what I asked him to –

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BE-

Ah, there we go. My brain's back online now.

"Buh...wha...guh..." My mouth still needs to catch up, "I said to kiss the white rose."

Firion nodded his head. "I did."

"No you didn't. You kissed _me_."

"_You_ are _my_ white rose, Tora, and I would like to take you to dinner tonight as a way of showing you how red roses and white roses mean unity." The blush on my face just jumped from 'slightly sunburnt' to 'cooked lobster in a sauna'. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to form a coherent sentence, but my treacherous brain had shut down on me again. Eventually I settled for nodding.

He smiled wider. "I'll see you tonight, then."

"Absolutely." This time, _I_ kissed _him_. Paying for my rose, I left the store and headed back down the street toward Jecht's Camero, where I could see Tidus sitting in the driver's seat with his elbow up on the open window.

"So did your wish come true?" he asked as I got into the car. I turned to him and grinned.

"It sure did, Tidus," I said, looking down at the rose in my hand, "It sure did."

...wait, when did Firion slip me a red rose?

=^w^=

_**DISCLAIMER: The disclaimer applies to the characters and settings of 'Dissidia: Final Fantasy' and all 'Final Fantasy' games – SquareEnix – the song 'Hear Me Cry' – Final Fantasy X – and Tora Altona and her family – me. **_


End file.
